The problem isn't the writers making money, it's the publishers. A text book, even in a "small" market like Israel will go out to tens of thousands of children a year. An author could make a lucrative living just by selling the eText for a few shekels, certainly much less than is payed now for the print editions.
The publishers put pressure to keep the industry to keep it locked up in a medium that requires their services. In this way it is analogous to the news, music and movie industries. These industries have long worked hard to cut the cost of production, for their own benefit. The change comes with the rise of a new distribution model that doesn't necessitate their core service: publishing & promotions. I have no love or hate for book publishers. But if they are superseded by something that improves quality, increases choice, and allows lesser knowns to enter the market then good riddance to them. On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 10:29 AM, Jonathan Ben Avraham <y...@tkos.co.il>wrote: > On Tue, 8 Sep 2009, Meir Kriheli wrote: > > [snip] > >> Much like the services industry around FLOSS a musician can perform live >> concerts, merchandising etc. >> >> There are people looking for different business model in music as well >> utilizing various CC licenses, see for example: >> >> http://www.jamendo.com/en/ >> > > These are guerilla movements, not mainstream like free software. The > reality is that there is no free content market anywhere approaching the > free software market, and the reasons are clear. > > - yba > > > > >> Cheers >> -- >> Meir Kriheli >> >> >>> of the consumer is to have the information available for free, and if >>>> someone wants to volunteer their time to provide this information for >>>> free, >>>> then all the more respect to them. Of course this will make the >>>> publishers >>>> unhappy, and they'll have to compete harder to have someone pay for >>>> their >>>> work. >>>> >>>> But this is all hypothetical as I have yet to hear about any such >>>> project. >>>> >>>> Regards, >>>> Dov >>>> >>>> 2009/9/8 Jonathan Ben Avraham <y...@tkos.co.il> >>>> >>>> Hi All, >>>>> Don't forget that there is a large industry of authors and publishers >>>>> who >>>>> make their living on the current paper book model. Like music, this is >>>>> a >>>>> content market whose reason for existence is payment for content. >>>>> >>>>> I think that a better idea for a free education project in this >>>>> direction >>>>> would be an online publishing house the would sell kindle style >>>>> versions of >>>>> the current content offering. >>>>> Regards, >>>>> >>>>> - yba >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Mon, 7 Sep 2009, Dov Grobgeld wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Date: Mon, 7 Sep 2009 21:22:37 +0300 >>>>> >>>>>> From: Dov Grobgeld <dov.grobg...@gmail.com> >>>>>> To: Dotan Cohen <dotanco...@gmail.com> >>>>>> Cc: linux-il@cs.huji.ac.il >>>>>> Subject: Re: eTextBooks (for kids) >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> This reminds me of a "public service" project that I have thought >>>>>> about >>>>>> for >>>>>> some time. It would be nice if someone created some free (as in >>>>>> license) >>>>>> books that would pass the requirements of the education ministry. >>>>>> These >>>>>> could then be downloaded as e-books or printed, copied partially, >>>>>> photocopied, translated, modified, read in audioform, etc, which >>>>>> would be >>>>>> a >>>>>> great service to the all kids and parents. >>>>>> >>>>>> Just my 2 ag, >>>>>> Dov >>>>>> >>>>>> On Mon, Sep 7, 2009 at 14:06, Dotan Cohen <dotanco...@gmail.com> >>>>>> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> Is there a place to buy electronic versions of textbooks for >>>>>> (israeli) >>>>>> >>>>>>> school children? >>>>>>>> The schools don't have places for kids to keep their books on >>>>>>>> premises, >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> so >>>>>>> >>>>>>> they have to schlep all their books all day long. They are heavy. >>>>>>>> I'd >>>>>>>> rather they carried a small laptop or e-book reader. >>>>>>>> Any ideas? >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> You are ahead of your time. What grade are the kids in? You should >>>>>>> know that the books are likely used for more than reading, for >>>>>>> instance they may have to write in the book. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> You should also know that Education Ministry limits the sacks on >>>>>>> one's >>>>>>> back to 10% of their body weight. If your kid's books and a >>>>>>> reasonable >>>>>>> pack exceed this, complain to the school management. Keep us >>>>>>> informed. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> -- >>>>>>> Dotan Cohen >>>>>>> >>>>>>> http://what-is-what.com >>>>>>> http://gibberish.co.il >>>>>>> >>>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>>> Linux-il mailing list >>>>>>> Linux-il@cs.huji.ac.il >>>>>>> http://mailman.cs.huji.ac.il/mailman/listinfo/linux-il >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>> EE 77 7F 30 4A 64 2E C5 83 5F E7 49 A6 82 29 BA ~. .~ Tk Open >>>>> Systems >>>>> >>>>> =}------------------------------------------------ooO--U--Ooo------------{= >>>>> >>>>> - y...@tkos.co.il - tel: +972.2.679.5364, http://www.tkos.co.il - >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> Linux-il mailing list >>>>> Linux-il@cs.huji.ac.il >>>>> http://mailman.cs.huji.ac.il/mailman/listinfo/linux-il >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>> >> >> > -- > EE 77 7F 30 4A 64 2E C5 83 5F E7 49 A6 82 29 BA ~. .~ Tk Open > Systems > =}------------------------------------------------ooO--U--Ooo------------{= > - y...@tkos.co.il - tel: +972.2.679.5364, http://www.tkos.co.il - > > _______________________________________________ > Linux-il mailing list > Linux-il@cs.huji.ac.il > http://mailman.cs.huji.ac.il/mailman/listinfo/linux-il > -- There must be a beginning of any great matter, but the continuing unto the end until it be thoroughly finished yields the true glory. -- Sir Francis Drake
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